Trench and tunnel excavator



Sept. 23, 2 1,509,646

, J. c. FRENCH TRENGH AND TUNNEL EXCAVATOR Original Filed May 13, 1918 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 23, 1924.

J. C. FRENCH TRENCH AND TUNNEL EXCAVATOR Original Filed Ma y 13 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 23, 1924. 1,509,646

J. C. FRENCH TRENCH AND TUNNEL EXCAVATOR Original Filed May 13,- 19$}? 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 23 1924.

J. C. FRENCH TRENCH AND TUNNEL EXCAVATOR Original Filed May 13 1918 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. FRENCH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY lllIESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO

I. O. AUSTIN MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TRENGH AND TUNNEL EXCAVATOR.

Application filed May 13, 1918, Serial No. 234,072.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JAMES C. FRENCH, a citizen of the United StatesofAmerica, and resident of Cleveland, Ohio, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Trench and Tunnel Excavators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for making trenches and moreparticularly to those which are adapted to travel in the trench, onthefloor thereof, so that the entire machine is below ground, wherebythe top of the trench may be provided with a roof to form a tunnel.-

Generally stated, therefore, the object of the invention is to provide anovel and improved construction of trenching machine, of the foregoinggeneral character, in which a scoop is provided for cutting'away theearth in front of the traction means which travel on the floor of thetrench, and in which means are provided for conveying the excavated dirtrearward from the scoop, as will hereafter more fully appear.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features ofconstruction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiencyand desirability of a trenching and tunneling machine of this particularconstruction.

To these and other useful ends the invention consists in mattershereafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings,in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a trenching and tunnelingmachine embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2' is a plan of the said machine.

Fig 3 is a front elevation of said machine.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on line 44: in Fig. 1. Y

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a suitable body-frame 1supported on a turn-table 2, which latter is supported on a truck 3, ofany suitable character. This truck, for example, may be provided withany ordinary or suitable caterpillar traction devices to travel on thefloor 4 of the trench. The forward end of the body-frame 1 is providedwith a transverse axis 5, disposed in elevated position, upon which ismounted a pair of segments 6, and the lower and outer ends of thesesegments are provided with a transverse axis7 upon which the scoop 8 ispivoted, whereby this scoop has motion Renewed August 15, 1924.

about-the axes 5 and 7, in a manner that will be readily understood, theaxis 7 being movable up and down about the axis 5 when the segments 6are oscillated. Toggle links 9 and 10, pivotally connected together at11, connect the front end of the scoop 8 with the arm 12, which latteris rigid with the hand-lever 13, whereby the position of the scoop 8relative to the segments may be changed or adjusted about the axis 7 anda rack 14 is provided on the segments 6 to engage the locking devices15, of the usual or any suitable character, whereby the scoop may belocked in adjusted position. The other end of the axis 5, formed by arock-shaft, can be provided with an arm similar to the arm 12, connectedto the scoop by links similar to the links 9 and 10, and the two armscan be rigidly connected through the medium of said rockshaft, wherebythe rocking of this shaft by the hand-lever 13 will simultaneouslyoperate the two connections to the scoop. The segments 6 may turn on theaxis or rockshaft 5, and the latter can be supported in bearings of anysuitable character on the front end of the body-frame. Pinions 16 arearranged to engage the segments 6, power being suitably communicated tothese pinions from the motor 17 on the bodyframe. c

It will also be seen that an endless belt conveyer 18 is supported onrollers 19 on the body-frame, and on rollers 20 on the se ments 6, theupper portion of the belt being supported by the shaft 5 when the scoopis in lowered position, and the lower portion of the belt beingsupported by the rollers 21 on the body-frame, so that the receivingportion of the conveyer swings up and down with the scoop while itsother portion remains horizontal, or in any desired position thereof.Power is communicated from the motor through the sprocket chain 22 tothe rear end of the conveyer 18, so that the latter is drivencontinuously during the u and down movements of the scoop. (xuards orside-boards 23 are mounted on the segments 6 at opposite sides of theconveyer 18, to hold the dirt thereon after the load is pitched orspilled backward from the scoop, when the latter reaches its highestposition, (see dotted lines in Fig. 1), so that the conveyer receivesthe load automatically each time the scoop reaches the limit of itsupward movement. The said scoop has a cutting lip or edge 94: whichmoves upand down on the line of a circle struck from the axis 5, so thatthe breast of the excavation has a curved surface 25, as shown in thedrawings. When the scoop 8 moves downward, the links 9 and 10 will sagand allow the scoop to swing about its pivot 7 toward the axis 5, andthese links will then straighten out and allow the scoop to assume itsoperative position when it again starts upward.

Any suitable power transmitting connection can be employed to drive thecaterpillar traction devices of the truck 3, and any suitable means canbe employed for enabling the driver or operator to control thesetractiolrli devices to drive the machine forward at w1 ordinary orsuitable means can be employed for controlling the traction devices tosteer the machine to the right or the left, either in the trench orabove ground, when the machine is traveling on a road or across a field.It will also be seen that any suitable or ordinary devices can beemployed for operating the turn-table 2-for the purpose of swinging thebody-frame 1 about the vertical axis during the operation of the scoop8,

the scoop 8 can be. changed to suit the requirements by means of thehand-lever 13, as previously described. The operator or driver thenstarts the machine, causing the machine to move upward, against the bankor end of the trench, and when the scoop -arrives at its up 1 positionthe load will be pitched or spil ed backward therefrom onto the conveyer18, which latter i's in continuous operation, whereby the excavated dirtwill be conveyed to the rear of, the machine where it can be dischargedinto dump cars or into acny'suitable receptacle, and there- I afterremoved from the trench or tunnel.

The scoop scrapes'ofl' a load as it travels upward, but as it can tiltbackward after reaching its upper position, in the manner. explained,.it can move downward without pressure against the earth. The tractiondevices of the truck 3 can be operated to move the machine constantlyand slowly forward, or they can be operated. intermittently to move themachine forward step by step, de

It will also be understood that any pending upon the conditions and therequirements of the work. The forward end portion of the conveyer 18swings up and down with the scoop and is thus always in position toreceive the discharge from the scoop or excavating device. During theoperation, the turn-table 2 can be operated to oscillate the machineabout a vertical axis, and in this way the trench or tunnel will besomewhat wider than the scoop itself, and the machine will have ampleclearance at each side thereof as it travels forward in the trench or Itunnel.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an excavator, the combination of abody, a segment mounted to oscillate about a horizontally disposed axison the front end of said body, a pinion on the bod to operate thesegment, a scoop pivote on the segment to tilt toward and away from saidaxis, an endless conveyer, means on the body to support one portion ofsaid conveyer, means on the segment to support the other portionof theconveyor, so that the conveyer will carry away the discharge from thescoop, a connection on the body to operate said conveyer, a truck havingtraction devices, and a turn-table to support said body on said truck,so that said SCOOp is movable back and forth sidewise while inoperation. a

2. In an excavator, the combination of a body, a segment mounted tooscillate about a horizontally disposed axis on the front end of saidbody, a pinion on the body to operate said segment, a scoo pivoted onthe segment to tilt toward an away from said axis, an endless conveyermounted on the body and'adapted to receive the discharge from saidscoop, a truck having traction devices, a turntable to support said bodyon said truck to permit operation of the scoop at different angles, ahand'lever for operation of said scoop, links connecting said lever tothe scoop so that the cutting angle or pitch of the scoop may bechanged, and means to lock the lever in adjusted position.

'3. 'In an excavating machine, the combination of a swinging supportmounted to op- "erate about a horizontal axis, a scoop on the end ofsaid support provided with cutting devices adaptedto operate 'upon thebreast of a trench as said support is swung upwardly, a segmental gearrigid with said support, a pinion to engage said gear to operate thescoop up and down in combinationwith a conveyer extending-from saidsooop,to the rear end of the machine and adapted to receive excavatedmaterial pitched backwardly thereon from the scoop when the latter is inraised position, means on the support to carry a portion of theconveyer, and other means for supporting the balance .of the conveyer ina fixed plane during the operation of the scoop.

4. In an excavating machine, the combination of a swinging supportmounted to operate about a horizontal axis, a scoop pivoted on the endof said support, a segmental gear rigid with said support, a pinion toengage said gear to operate the scoop up and down, a link connectionbetween said support and said scoop, a hand lever pivoted to the scoopto operate said link connection and thereby change the position of thescoop on the support, and means to hold said lever in adjusted position.

5. In an excavating machine, the combination of a. body, a verticallyswinging scoop support mounted thereon, a scoop carried at the free endof said support provided with cutting devices adapted to operate uponthe breast of a trench as said support is swung upwardly, and a singlecontinuous belt conveyer movable from. adjacent the scoop in the end ofthe scoop support to the opposite side of said body, saidconveyer beingadapted to receive excavated material spilled backwardlythereon fromsaid scoop when the latter is in raised position.

6. In an excavating machine, the combination of a'frame, a normallyvertical support adapted to swing about a horizontal axis at the frontof the machine, a rack segment fixed with respect to said support, apinion mounted on the frame and adapted to engage said segment :to swingthe support vertically, a scoop carried by said support and movabletherewith about said axis from a position at the bottom of the trench toa position above said horizontal axis and beneath the surface of theground, a horizontal conveyer adapted to receive the discharge from saidscoop, and means for swinging the scoop sidewise during the actionthereofto make a trench of greater width than the scoop. Y

7. In an excavating machine, the combination of a frame, an excavatingdevice having direct operative connection therewith and movablevertically over the breast of the excavation, and a continuous conveyerfor removing the material thrown backwardly from said excavating devicewhen the latter is in its raised position, said conveyer comprising beltand intermediate mountings therefor, an end mounting swinging verticallyabout the intermediate belt mounting to cause the adjacent end of theconveyer to move with the excavating device. I

8. In an excavating machine, the combination of a frame, an excavatingdevice having direct operative connection therewith and movablevertically over the breast of the excavation, and a continuous conveyerfor removing the material thrown) backwardly from said excavating devicewhen the latter is in its raised position, said conveyer comprising beltand intermediate mountings therefor, an end mounting swinging verticallyabout the intermediate belt mounting to cause the adjacent end of theconveyer to move with the excavating device, said movement of belt andexcavating device being through an angle in excess of ninety de recs.

9. In an excavating machine, the com ination of a frame a verticallyswinging scoop support carried thereby, a scoop carried by said supportand connections between said scoop and said su port composed of rigidmembers conneQse to ield when the scoop encounters the breast o theexcavation in its return movement.

10 In an excavating machine, the combination of a swinging supportmounted to operate about a horizontal axis, a scoop on the end of saidsupport provided with cutting devices adapted to operate upon the breastof a trench as said support is swung upwardly, a segmental gear rigidwith said support, and a pinion to engage said gear to operate the scoopup and down, in combination with a conveyer extending from said scoop tothe rear end of the machine and adapted to receive excavated materialpitched backwardly thereon from the scoop when the latter is in raisedposition, means on said support to carry a portion of said conveyer, andother means for sup rting the balance of the conveyer in a fixe planeduring the operation of the scoop.

11. In an excavating machine, thecombination of a swinging supportmounted to operate about'a. horizontal axis, a scoop on the end'of saidsupport, a segmental; gear rigid with said support, and a pinion toengage said gear to operate the scoop u and down, said scoop beingpivotedon sai support, a link connection extending to the scoop, a handlever pivoted on said axis to operate said link connection, thereby tochange the position of the scoop on the support, and means to hold saidlever in adjusted position.

12. In an excavating machine, a support mounted to swing up and downabout a horizontally disposed axis, a scoop on the end of said support,an endless conveyer on said support to carry the load away from saidscoop, gearing operating about said axis to swing the support up anddown, means on said axis to support the upper portion of said conveyer,and means below said axis to support the lower portion of said conveyer,

whereby both the upper and lower portions of the conveyer are flexedwhen the support swings up and down.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 22nd day of April, 1918.

JAMES C. FRENCH.

